No local visits in next EU presidency

MINISTERS are set to miss out on the chance to bring European dignitaries to their constituencies — and receive a hometown political boost in the process — when Ireland next hosts the EU presidency.

The Department of Foreign Affairs wants no repeat of 2004, when Ireland last held the presidency and ministers in the Fianna Fáil-led government held a number of key meetings in their own constituencies.

For example, Brian Cowen brought EU figures to Tullamore, Co Offaly; Charlie McCreevy took them to Punchestown, Co Kildare; and Dermot Ahern brought them to Dundalk, Co Louth.